Bolton: I'd 'vote no' on Syria strike

If former Ambassador to the UN John Bolton were a member of Congress, he said Tuesday that he’d vote against a plan to use military strikes in Syria.

“I think if I were a member of Congress, I would vote against an authorization to use force here. I don’t think it is in America’s interest. I don’t think we should in effect take sides in the Syrian conflict,” Bolton said on “Fox and Friends.”

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Bolton, who said he “would not have referred the matter to Congress,” added there isn’t enough to convince him that a strike would made an impact in the region.

“There’s very little to recommend either side to me, and I think the notion that a limited strike, which is what the president seems to be pursuing, will not create a deterrent effect with respect to either to Syria’s use of chemical weapons or, more seriously, Iran’s nuclear weapons program. So all in all, since I don’t see any utility to, to the use of military force in Syria in this context, I would vote no.”

Despite the alleged use of sarin gas by Assad’s regime, Bolton said there isn’t a strong enough case for a missile strike.

“I just don’t think there’s a convincing argument here, and, frankly, it doesn’t matter what the intelligence shows,” Bolton said. “I don’t think there is any doubt that Assad’s regime used chemical weapons. I don’t think that will change anybody’s mind.”

Bolton also expressed some skepticism on the strategy coming from the White House, the mind-set on the Hill and how members will vote and what exactly the authorization will look like.

“If they agree with the use of military force, they ought to vote in favor. If they’re against it, they should vote no. That then gets to the next question: What exactly is the military force that is going to be used? John McCain came out of the White House [Monday] saying [it] looks like the president is ready to go big. That’s not the resolution they’re drafting on Capitol Hill.”

While he does think some form of authorization will eventually be approved and “the administration will win,” Bolton added there will be one winner in the meantime: Democratic members of Congress.

“I think the White House candy store is open. I think the ideal job to have today is to be a Democratic member of Congress. What do you need for your district or state? A post office? A new military facility? What do you want? I think anything you want you’re going to get because the White House is going to do whatever it takes to get a majority.”